


The House of Crows

by PurpleArrowzandLeather



Series: Kings and Queens of Hearts [7]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Ouch, Zavala has been overruled, happy Kayleigh, right in the feels, scorn are weird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-24 05:30:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17094785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleArrowzandLeather/pseuds/PurpleArrowzandLeather
Summary: Kayleigh and Uldren are exploring the Tangled Shore again for the first time in months when Uldren asks a question he needs the answer to. What he gets is more than he bargained for.





	The House of Crows

**Author's Note:**

> Prepare to be hit in the Uldren feels you didn't know you had, because this is a doozy. :)

          Uldren and Kayleigh look around the broken rocks of the Shore. “It’s quiet.” 

          Kayleigh frowns. “I don’t like it.” 

          Uldren hums, tugging his hood lower. The two walk close to any wall that they can, keeping out of sight of anything that might be watching. The Shore had seemed dark before, but now it’s almost eerie. There aren’t any sounds. Maybe this is the reason Guardians stopped sticking around here. It’s making the both of them uneasy. 

          “We should pay a visit to Spider.” 

          He nods, peering down the tunnel leading to the Rider’s garage. He lets out a sharp whistle, letting it echo back to him. There isn’t any chittering in response, so he turns away and stalks carefully up the stairs. Kayleigh follows, covering his back.  

          - _Hey! You two find anything yet?_ - 

          Kayleigh leaps about a foot in the air as Cayde’s voice rings over the comms. She doesn’t scream, but she sure would like to. Uldren mutters back a negative reply while Kayleigh calms her nerves. She sasses Cayde under her breath, but his only reply is laughter. Uldren raises a finger to his lips and she makes a face. 

          They creep through the small base, moving with caution and watching the shadows. It’s unlike this place to be empty. Uldren tenses as something creaks, but it’s only one of the wires anchoring the rocks nearby. The entrance to Spider’s tunnel is covered again, the holographic barrier hiding it well. Jake hacks through easily enough, but there’s a metal barricade on the other side. It’s full of holes, and any respectable Fallen could find a way through.  

          Uldren frowns. “That's not a good sign.” 

          “I know.” 

          Kayleigh burns right through it, Uldren chuckling softly at the glowing outline in the metal. He ducks to follow her through it, turning to the side a little. Kayleigh smirks, but the look quickly falls from her face as she stares down the tunnel leading to Spider’s den. Wires hang from the ceiling, scorch marks coating the walls in fine ash.  

          They make their way through the tattered lair, the banners hanging from their lines ripped and painted with blood. Uldren takes a small strip of fabric, examining it. 

          “This is the Scorn war sigil.” 

          Kayleigh pulls out her sword. “That’s not good.” 

          Uldren nods, his brow furrowing. “I don’t think we’re going to like what we find down here.” 

          “Agreed.” 

          They round the last corner and are immediately overwhelmed by the smell. Kayleigh wrinkles her nose. Even though the last door before the room is shut, Kayleigh is pretty sure she knows what they’ll see. Uldren shakes his head and Kayleigh moves forwards. She has Jake hack the console, not wanting to make the smell worse by adding heat to it. The little Ghost chirps about how he’s glad he doesn’t have a nose. 

          The door opens and Kayleigh nearly doubles over to throw up. “That’s awful.” 

          Uldren moves closer to the large body in the seat. “He’s been here awhile.” 

          “Can you tell how long?” Kayleigh asks, covering her nose in an attempt to not die from the smell. “Ugh.” She crouches down to look at one of the Fallen that Spider kept as guards. “Poor little guys. They deserved a lot better than the Spider.” 

          “He was one of them. It’s better than scavenging like the rest.” 

          Kayleigh hums back to him.  

          Both of them come to attention when a small chittering from the back room starts to come closer. They level their weapons on the door, only bringing them down when a small Vandal crawls through it. The little guy has the spikes marking Spider’s brood, though, most of them are missing. It’s bleeding, ether leaking from the tubes along its stomach as well. 

          Kayleigh stands, putting out a defensive hand. “We aren’t going to hurt you.” 

          It looks up at her, croaking softly. 

          “Kayleigh, he’s dying.” 

          “I know, Uldren.” 

          It reaches out a hand to Kayleigh and she takes it. The Vandal leads her into the back room and Uldren follows closely behind, reasonably wary. It pulls her to a metal table where cylinders surround the base.  

          “Those are filled with ether. There isn’t much left.”  

          Kayleigh glances back at Uldren. “Think it’s enough to save him?” 

          “I don’t know.” 

          The Vandal crouches down, grabbing onto one of the lines on the ground and connecting it to a port on his wrist. The other two arms hang limply and Kayleigh realizes that they aren’t working.  

          “He’s been living off of it. Just enough to get by.” 

          Uldren’s brow furrows. “Where did all the Servitors go?” 

          The Vandal’s eyes snap up to his and he clicks out a response. Uldren nods, leaning down to start fixing the tubes while he’s hooked to the ether. Kayleigh holds back a smile as he croons back to it. It isn’t every day she gets to see his gentle side. Kayleigh lends him some armor materials and Uldren stays focused on the task at hand. He’s gets the Vandal fixed up, all his arms back in working order. 

          It squawks, standing up straight and zipping out the door. Kayleigh waves at him as he goes.  

          Uldren wipes his hands together, the ether sticky on his skin. Kayleigh smiles at him and the action stops, his golden eyes taking her in. She offers him a hand.  

          “Let’s go see what else we can find.” 

          Uldren takes it, pulling her fingers to his lips and pressing a kiss to them before letting go. He takes courtship seriously, and Kayleigh finds that she enjoys the gesture.  _I guess that’s what happens when you get into a relationship with a prince._  

          Cayde checks in again when they are looking around the place. Kayleigh feels a little bad about going through Spider’s pockets, but she does find a list of contacts, a canister of ether, three dead Ghosts, and a shock pistol. 

          “It didn’t do him much good, did it?” Uldren muses. 

          Kayleigh huffs out a laugh, choking on the putrid air. She groans, her stomach less than happy with her. Uldren shifts closer, his careful hands pulling her back from the body.  

          “This is why I’m glad that the things I kill turn to ash.” Kayleigh mutters. 

          “Understandable.” 

          They head outside, Kayleigh more than happy to be leaving.  

          They look around for a long while, finding nothing except bodies. Though, after a little while, Uldren gets the feeling that he’s being watched. He keeps Kayleigh closer, but she doesn’t even notice. She’s too busy investigating.  

          He supposes, only briefly, that he’s being a little overprotective. Just because she can come back doesn’t mean that Uldren wants to watch her die.  

          “Hey, Uldren?” 

          “Mmm?” 

          “I think we’re being followed.” 

          Uldren looks over his shoulder to where Kayleigh is pointing. A Vandal scuttles behind an old power cell. He chuckles as the tips of the spikes on his back slide out of sight. 

          “I believe he thinks he’s being subtle.” 

          Kayleigh grins. “Yeah, I’ll bet he does.” 

          They head towards the Jetsam, slowing when they approach the crashed tombship. The Hive are nowhere to be seen. Uldren’s mouth twitches down into a frown.  

          “I’ve always found the Hive disgusting, but I think it’s creepier that they aren’t here.” Kayleigh murmurs.  

          Uldren can’t help but agree. There isn’t even a Thrall running around trying to kill them.  

          “No wonder Guardians don’t come here anymore.” 

          Uldren pulls in a deep breath, opening his mind to feel around for other presences. He finds a few, but all of them greet his probing with caution and even a warning. “There are Hunters here, but they’re spooked. This has them on edge, too.” 

          “No one except the Hunters?” 

          “They sent out a warning to the other Guardians after we arrived.” 

          “Any we know?” 

          Uldren starts to shake his head, but then his thoughts greet a mind of metal. He maneuvers carefully to speak to the Exo, unable to glean any thoughts from him. It’s aware of him, but nothing gets through. Uldren returns to the other minds around him. None of them grant him a name, but they do divulge their purpose. 

          “I think they’re Cayde’s scouts.” 

          Kayleigh’s expression is grim. “If they’re watching the Shore, something bigger than Spider must have happened.” 

          Uldren is still musing when he finally understands. “There was a coup.” 

          Kayleigh lets out a quiet ‘oh’. The bodies scattered around make a lot more sense. Kayleigh slides her fingers into Uldren’s and he squeezes them reassuringly. One of the Hunters keeping an eye on them chuckles, but Uldren doesn’t dignify that with a response. Kayleigh probes around on the edge of Uldren’s mind as well, greeting each of the Hunters with a cheery hello. They appreciate it. 

          “I wonder what they’re watching for.”  

          Uldren hums, nodding a little. The Hunter informs him that he’s being followed and Uldren only smiles, letting him know that the Vandal is fine doing what he’s doing. Just to make sure no one shoots him, Uldren is sure to let them all know.  

          Someone gets the message a little late and a shot hits the ground over by a black support beam. There’s a shriek and the Vandal breaks cover. It’s headed straight for Kayleigh. Kayleigh pulls a sniper out of thin air and aims as the Vandal climbs onto her back. Uldren can feel the sudden dread from one of the Hunters and grins as Kayleigh fires.  _Maybe next time you’ll listen._  

          They continue on their way, their new friend latched securely onto Kayleigh with no intentions of letting go. Kayleigh eventually convinces him to come down, instead just crawling between them. One of his spare hands reaches up and takes Kayleigh’s, his three fingers holding tight. Uldren is startled when it takes his, too.  

          Kayleigh offers him the shock pistol that the Spider had on him and the little guy seems really grateful. He lets out loud squawks from time to time, and Kayleigh is pretty sure that he’s calling for his friends.  

          She is obviously correct when he finally gets an answer back. Another one of Spider’s Fallen crawls out into the open, a small group of others behind him. The Wretches eye Uldren more warily than the Vandals, and he chitters out a response to their anxiety. They don’t really seem to know what to do with the knowledge that Uldren can understand them. Kayleigh laughs, putting her hand in Uldren’s again.  

          The group gets a little more enthusiastic after that, and she’s pretty sure she catches something about them being Kells. Uldren chuckles.  

          “You know, Mara once joked about the Fallen being my kind of people. I admired them for their nobility, and their loyalty to a House even if they’d lost everything else.”  

          “Looks like that suits you pretty well. They like you.” 

          The Captain in the group perks up at the mention of a House and it creeps closer to them. Uldren picks up a little confusion from Cayde’s scouts, but he doesn’t mind so much.  

          Kayleigh laughs. “Uldren Sov. Kell of the House of Crows.” 

          The Captain gets some sort of excited, gurgling noises coming from his chest. Uldren’s brows raise as he takes Kayleigh aside. The little guys all follow him and bow down. 

          “Ummm, what’s happening?” 

          “They took you seriously. They think you’re my high priestess.” 

          Kayleigh looks at Uldren to get him to rescue her and his mouth tips up into a smile. She crosses her arms as he lets them keep her in the middle of their worship circle. Her glare promises pain and Uldren finally gives in. 

          He orders the Fallen to clear a path for him and they scurry to the sides, allowing him passage. “I don’t think that’s necessary.” Uldren hums, taking her hands. “She’s mine to worship.” 

          Kayleigh smiles a bit sheepishly, and Uldren finds himself stunned by it. She isn’t one to be bashful or anything of that sort. Uldren leans in to kiss her when the line crackles for their comms.  

          - _Hey! You two, that’s enough tomfoolery! You have an audience, and they are filling my ears with commentary! My Hunters are out there watching this and eating popcorn, so you need to knock it off! Also, what did you do to those Fallen?_ - 

          Uldren chuckles. “Until later.” 

          Kayleigh throws him a lopsided grin before taking his hand and walking out towards the Cabal base. Their crowd only grows as they move along. Kayleigh fills in Cayde on exactly what happened.  

          The Fallen continue to chatter along, and she catches ‘House of Crows’ more than once. They are excited to have a Kell again, that’s for sure.  

          “So... a Kell?” Kayleigh starts. 

          “I’ve been one before.” 

          Kayleigh sticks out her tongue. “For the Skorn. Not exactly a shining resume. They tried to kill me.” 

          There are cries of outrage from the Fallen and Uldren urges her not to talk so loudly. “They will kill for you, Kayleigh. You have to be careful.” 

          Kayleigh blinks. “That’s ridiculous.” 

          “No, that’s the Fallen.” Uldren pulls her to the side of a hole in the rickety bridge as they start to pass over it. “You’ll get used to it.” 

          “Wait, so... you’re going to actually be their Kell now?” 

          “If you have someone in mind to hand it off to, feel free to suggest them. It’s better than other Fallen alternatives. Here on the Shore, their best option is that Captain, and she has no more chance of survival than they do without Servitors around.” 

          Kayleigh bounces a little bit. “Tell me we get to rebuild a Servitor.” 

          Uldren smiles indulgently at her. “We’re rebuilding a Servitor.” 

          She cheers. “I love to do new things!” 

          Uldren shakes his head, his fingers opening to let her go as she spots a Servitor core. He helps her scavenge around for parts and she transports them back to the Rider’s old garage. The Fallen follow her, their many hands full of garbage with which to build a Servitor. Uldren picks up a few long pieces of wire and a spare core just in case.  

          Kayleigh and Uldren set to work, his mind occasionally drifting to the Hunters watching their every move. The Fallen are all chattering to each other outside, working on something else, but Uldren isn’t paying enough attention to know what. They pull Kayleigh away for a little bit and Uldren tries not to question it. She says something about shaders that he doesn’t catch and he stops paying attention. He's much too busy sorting out the wires in the Servitor core to care.  

          Uldren gets the main drive online just as Kayleigh comes back down into the garage, dusting herself off. “Hey.” 

          Uldren looks up, carefully pulling his hands from the inside of the core.  

          “Looks like you’ve had some success.” 

          Uldren wants to say something, but he finds himself unable. She’s covered in paint, a golden stripe going up the side of her face. Her red hair is peppered with black and blue.  

          All he can do is laugh.  

          She kneels down next to him to help him work and Uldren can’t help but stare at her from time to time. He would never admit to being slightly disappointed when she cleans the paint off of her face. Still, there is work to be done. They manage to get almost all of the power cells operational before Kayleigh gets up to find something to eat. 

          Eventually, one of Cayde’s Hunters wanders down into the garage, his head low as he quietly enters their space. “Hello?” 

          Uldren turns. “Yes?” 

          “How’s it going?” 

          “Well.” 

          The Hunter bobs his shiny Exo head, nervous for some reason. “Your, uh, your Kell banner looks good.” 

          Uldren blinks. “My what?” 

          “Your Kell banner. It’s just outside, and your, um, your new ketch is running around putting them up all over the place.” 

          Kayleigh walks back in, a couple of bowls in her hands. “I got some soup. Oh, hi.” 

          The Hunter waves. “Hi. It’s... been a long time.” 

          Kayleigh takes a good look at him. “Kasrik?” 

          “Yeah.” 

          “I figured Cayde put you in the field. We haven’t seen you running around the Tower in a long while.” 

          “No time.” 

          Kayleigh chuckles, handing a bowl to Uldren. “Well, feel free to check the place out if you haven’t. It’s certainly a lot quieter than it has been in a long time.” 

          Kasrik waves her off. “No, I’m fine. I was just seein’ what you guys were up to.” 

          The Fallen hear his voice inside and they scuttle down to check him out. They pull his cloak and arms up, the little Vandal they helped climbing onto his shoulders. Kayleigh sits down, watching him stay completely motionless unless otherwise moved. 

          Uldren laughs warmly, taking a long drink of his soup. “Thank you, Kayleigh.” 

          “You’re welcome.” 

          The Captain shakes Kasrik back and forth, hugging him to her chest like a stuffed animal. She barks possessively as a Wretch tugs on his cape. Kasrik quietly squeaks as she squeezes him a little too tight and Kayleigh grins. The Captain picks him up, his feet dangling above the floor until she plops him down next to Kayleigh and Uldren.  

          Kasrik rubs the back of his head, chuckling awkwardly. “I guess I’m staying? I knew this was a bad idea.” 

          Uldren raises a quizzical brow, finishing his soup and returning to his project. The three of them work together to put the Servitor parts into place. Kasrik’s attempts at leaving are all thwarted by the Captain and her little friends. Cayde scolds him for getting caught, but there isn’t a lot of heat in his tone.  

          Uldren fiddles with a couple of the subroutines, ensuring that the Servitor maintains the ability the make ether on its own. Or, at least, that’s what he says he’s doing. Kayleigh isn’t sure, but she’ll believe it for now.  

          It takes her a little while to realize it, but Uldren is humming while he works. She thought it might have been one of the Fallen for the first few minutes. He’s too focused to notice that she noticed. She listens quietly, reaching for tools when he asks and ripping out a couple of old wires that his hands aren’t small enough to reach. Kasrik tries to escape one last time before giving up, the Captain holding him in her arms and tugging his hood down to pet his blue metal head. His antennae sink as he realizes he's not escaping anytime soon.  

          Uldren winces suddenly and pulls back, putting the tip of his finger in his mouth. Kayleigh makes him let her see and they find that he has quite nicely cut his finger open. She offers him a very manly Omnigul Band-Aid, which he refuses, instead opting for tape.  

          “I’d rather not dress my wounds in pictures of a Hive Wizard.” 

          “You are no fun.” 

          Uldren hums, carefully continuing to work. Now that he’s down an appendage, Kayleigh helps out a little more, attempting to keep him from breaking it back open. He eventually has Kayleigh put the Servitor-to-be up on a hoist, just about ready to turn it on. The outer shell will have to come later, but until then, the shoddy one it has will have to do.  

          Uldren inspects it one last time before plugging in the cycling numbers. Kayleigh is officially confused as to what they are, what they are supposed to mean and how he knows them, but she isn’t about to question it. He seems pretty pleased with himself when it comes online. It beeps out a few Servitor noises, making that odd groaning sound. The Fallen flock inside when they hear it, stopping to hug Uldren before saying hello to the Servitor. 

          Uldren looks at little overwhelmed. Kasrik pats his shoulder, watching the Fallen eat well for the first time since the Shore had its coup. “You did a good thing, Uldren. A Kell’s gotta take care of his own, right?” 

          Uldren hums, wiping a hand over his face. Kayleigh struggles not to laugh at the grease it leaves behind, instead coming up with a rag to clean him up. He doesn’t seem to mind, quietly thanking her. Kasrik looks away respectfully as Uldren dips his head to kiss her. The Fallen squawk louder at the sight and drag Kasrik into their arms, covering his eyes. 

          Kayleigh chuckles. “You’d think they would be to distracted to notice.”  

          “Anyone would be a fool not to notice you.” Uldren murmurs, his voice as smooth as silk. 

          Kayleigh casts a glance in the helpless Hunter’s direction. “Well, since he’s a bit tied up at the moment….” She pushes his hood back with both hands. “How you work with this up is beyond me.” 

          Uldren’s lips tip up a little. “I make do.” 

          “Look, I get that you two think this is funny, but I don’t.” Kasrik growls. “Ok! Get off. That’s enough now!” He groans. “ _That doesn’t mean hold on tighter! OW!”_  

          Uldren sighs tugging a lock of Kayleigh’s hair between his fingers before telling the Fallen to let him go. They drop him, scattering from the room. Kasrik sits up with a long moan of pain, clutching his ribs (or what would be his ribs if he had them).  

          Kayleigh pulls Uldren’s hood back up, looking a bit forlorn as she goes to check on Cassrick. “Are you okay?” 

          “Okay? Your ketch just tried to squeeze me to death. Do I look okay?” He tugs out his Ghost, muttering under his breath. “ _Fallen treating me like a_ _plushie_ _and she asks me if I’m ‘okay’_.” He scowls, running his hands over his black hair to smooth it. 

          Kayleigh raises a brow. “If you think that kind of attitude makes me feel sorry for you, it doesn’t.” 

          Kasrik grumbles a bit before offering an apology. 

          “If you run now, the Fallen probably won’t catch you.” Uldren says, pulling the Servitor free from the hoist.  

          “Right.”  

          Kasrik hops on his sparrow and flies away as fast as he possibly can. The Fallen scuttle back inside after he goes, the Captain making a sad noise. Kayleigh hadn’t realized how quickly she’d get attached.  

          Uldren watches them pull out a few supplies, unclasping their capes and cloaks to paint on them. They scrub off their old markings to make way for the new ones. Kayleigh gives him a friendly nudge, his hand snagging hers as she does.  

          “What is that?” 

          “That, Uldren Sov, is the Kell banner for the House of Crows.” 

          Uldren’s brow furrows. “You do realize banners are usually only one color?” 

          Kayleigh looks up at him. “You expect me to care about normal?” 

          “No. I suppose I should know better.” 

          Uldren watches the Fallen paint with almost reckless abandon. It’s a crow in flight, a familiar blue streaming from its wings and a golden circle around its head. The gold moves down from each side of the circle along either side of the crow’s back. The blue meets it as it comes off the edge of the tail, twining with it.  

          Uldren feels his breath leave him as he recognizes the blue. He sees it every day. It’s the bright, glowing cerulean of Kayleigh’s eyes. He can’t look away from it now, his gaze unwavering from where the two colors greet each other, twisting around each other in perfect spirals.  

          There’s a swell of some emotion in his chest that he doesn’t understand. He gets distressed enough over it that Mara’s presence on the edge of his mind stirs. She asks him what’s wrong, but he can’t answer her. The only thing he can think of is that painting on the floor. The symbol of his ketch.  _The symbol of her love._  

          Mara manifests next to him, afraid that he might be dying for the amount of panic thrumming across his thoughts. “Brother?” 

          Uldren doesn’t answer, closing his eyes. The image is burned into his mind. Mara walks over to the capes on the floor, eyeing their sigils. Uldren looks on as she crouches down next to one.  

          “What are they doing?” Her fingers trace the crow on the Captain’s cloak, the Captain spreading blue paint through her hand. “This is a Kell symbol?” 

          Uldren shifts minutely to confirm. 

          He glances down at Kayleigh, her gaze frozen with Mara’s presence. Her lips are turned up in a soft smile, eyes glowing. It’s the way she always looks at him.  

          Mara looks up at him and he lets out a shaky breath, the pad of his thumb rubbing on the undersides of his fingers. Uldren can feel Kayleigh’s awareness coming around, realizing that something in the room has changed. She’s about to realize that Mara is there as well. Her slim fingers shift in his hand, but she hasn’t gotten loose from Mara’s hold just yet.  

          “She’s gotten a lot stronger.” Mara says, looking straight into the fiery Warlock’s eyes. “You’ve been teaching her?” 

          Uldren nods. “She’s...well-rounded when it comes to learning.” 

          “She is a Warlock. Wise already.” 

          Uldren’s mouth quirks up into a small smile, rubbing a circle on Kayleigh’s hand. “I know.” 

          “So, what troubles you, brother? Surely it cannot be so simple as the design of your banner?” 

          “She made it.” 

          Mara looks down at the design again and back to their twined hands. “Fitting, don’t you think? You are afraid?” 

          “What happens if.... if I lose her?” 

          “It is more likely to be the other way around, brother. And why else would she create it this way if she didn’t feel the same?” 

          “I don’t... I don’t deserve her. At all.” 

          Mara chuckles. “True, but why not let her decide that?” 

          Uldren can’t help but huff at her bluntness, that odd emotion still stirring in his chest. He can’t help but wonder when it was that he stopped seeking Mara’s approval so wholly. She didn’t tease him before Oryx, and he certainly wouldn’t have allowed it. 

          Uldren finally figures out what he’s feeling, and it’s not what he thought. It’s relief. Relief, and reassurance so strong that his frame becomes weak with it.  

          Mara hums. “And there you have your answer, brother. I wish you well.” 

          Uldren closes his eyes, trying to ward off the flood threatening to pass. The first tear falls on the floor by his boot and the slow world around him resumes its course.  

          Kayleigh squeezes his hand. “What was that all about?” 

          Uldren shakes his head. He doesn’t know how she does it, but every time he thinks he might have her figured out, she turns around and does something unexpected. Something that solidifies her place in his life.  _Oh, Mara. What am I supposed to do?_ _What am I to do?_  

          “Uldren?” 

          Her concerned tone does nothing to stop the tears building in his eyes. “Why?” he whispers. 

          Kayleigh’s brow furrows. “Why what?” 

          “Why would you choose me?” Another tear hits the floor. 

          “Why wouldn’t I?” Kayleigh looks down at their hands. “You chose me, too.” 

          Kayleigh turns towards him, her hands on the sides of his face. She brushes back tears with her thumbs and Uldren can’t stop them. He stands there, his head bowed and his eyes shut, unable to look at her.  

          “How could I possibly be worth all this?” 

          Kayleigh pulls his hood back again, her hands careful. “Uldren, look at me.”  

          He keeps his gaze on the floor. 

          “Uldren, please?” 

          Uldren can’t deny her any longer, not when she pleads with him the way she is. He looks up at her face, her eyes shining brightly. Her expression is hurt, and Uldren knows it’s his fault. He didn’t want to hurt her, and now he has. 

          “Have you been listening to me at all over the last year and a half? Have I not tried hard enough to make you understand that I want you for  _you_? Not because of what someone could wish you were? Did I not explain that I love every part of you for what it is?” Tears start to fall down her face, too, and Uldren tries to smile at her. “Your anger? Pain? Do you think I want to take that away? I-” she breaks off, leaning against his chest. “Sometimes I wish I could, but then... then I realize that I don’t want to. And it’s so _selfish_.” Uldren wraps an arm around her, his teeth baring in an agonized grimace as he leans his head against hers. “All of that is you, and without it-…  _without it, I wouldn’t have the man that I love._ ” 

          Uldren holds onto her as her hands cling to his back, whispering out broken apologies. 

          “ _Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare take that away from me by asking why.”_  

          Her statement alone takes his breath away for a moment. He’s never seen her like this. Kayleigh rarely ever lets on that she has a vulnerable side, and it seems that Uldren has dug right underneath those walls completely by accident. Thinking back on it, Uldren realizes that he’s been so oblivious. Every laugh and smile and joke that she has shared with him, just trying to give him a little joy. It burns him to know that he’s been so,  _so blind._   

          Uldren aches for her, his tumult and confusion almost too much for her to bear. She clutches to the back of his shirt, twisting it between her fingers. He presses a kiss to the top of her head. Apologizing again, his voice is barely loud enough to hear. Kayleigh nods, accepting it, though, unable to speak.  

          Uldren wonders how he ever survived without Kayleigh by his side for so long.  

          Kayleigh sucks in a breath, the exhale trembling on its way out. She doesn’t let go of him for a long while and the need he feels the have her near allows him to remain there. 

          “ _Do you know what my greatest fear is_ _, my light?_ ” 

          Kayleigh moves, lifting her head to look at him while still holding on. He touches his forehead to hers and they both close their eyes. “ _Tell me._ ” 

          “I fear that one day I will wake up to find that this was all a dream. I will wake up in the shredded remains of my ship only to see that I am the sole survivor of my race. My sister is dead, and I am alone. Oryx will come for me again, but you… you are not there to save me.” Uldren shakes his head a little, comforted by Kayleigh’s solid presence. “The mind is a  _powerful_  thing. It can create its own world to escape the tortures of reality or even bend such reality to its will. Surely you have realized by now that my mind is fragile, and if this were a dream…  _oh, if it were a dream_ … I believe it would shatter, screaming into the Void forever all for having lost everything again. And you,  _my salvation_ , were just my twisted and wretched mind attempting to conjure up a paradise for me to dwell in.” Uldren lets out a shaky breath, the lines of tears down his face not stopping. “ _I fear_ _losing you_ _, my_ _light._ ” 

          Kayleigh opens her mind to him, sharing her memories. “If I were a dream, would you remember any of this? All of my journeys? My deaths?” Kayleigh takes him back further, reaching towards buried memories that were so long ago, she never thinks of them. “How could I be a figment of your imagination if I was alive long before you were ever born? How could you possibly remember my Attunement?”  

          Her memories fly across his mind’s eye and he lets out a broken noise. “ _I need you,_ _my_ _strength_ _._ ” 

          Kayleigh tips her mouth up to kiss him. “ _I_ _need_ _you, my resilience._ _My passion. My_ _ferocity._ ” she murmurs, placing her head under his chin.  

          Uldren swallows, looking up at the ceiling. For the first time in years, he prays. Prays that she might never forsake him. Her mind responds with comfort.  

          Kayleigh quiets him, her hands still holding his shirt like her life depends on it. “I want you by my side, Uldren Sov. Until the end.” 

          Uldren’s tone is desperate as he answers, barely even a whisper.“ _You are_ _my only need, my light._ ” 

**Author's Note:**

> Oh pain. We become reacquainted, my old friend.


End file.
